Matthew 18

Chap. XVIII. Ver. 1—20. Lessons on humility, on offences, and on prayer.—From the narrative here brought before us, it should seem that the peculiar attention which our Lord showed to his three favoured disciples, Peter, James, and John, was in some measure abused by them; and that our Lord’s words to Peter, in particular, were from the beginning misconstrued, as giving a degree of pre-eminence which never was intended. It must have been such a claim as this, that first occasioned a dispute by the way, as noticed by the evangelist Mark, which of them should be the greatest; and probably afterwards, when they sat down, either to rest or dine. Matthew, or some other of the apostles, complained of the assumption of the three above named, and brought the question before their Master, who was already acquainted with all their differences and debates, and took a happy method effectually to terminate the contest.

On this circumstance, Townsend (above quoted) observes—‘The ambitious dispute of the disciples concerning their precedency in the kingdom of heaven, proves that not even the repeated predictions of our Saviour’s sufferings and death, could banish from the minds of his followers their preconceived ideas respecting the Messiah’s kingdom. To correct this prevailing error, our Saviour now resorts to a different theme, assuring them that unless they were converted, that is, unless they became as unambitious and as humble, as mild, as meek, and as regardless of all temporal power and distinctions, as a little child, they could not even be admitted into the kingdom of heaven. Humility is the characteristic virtue of Christianity; and the highest rewards of heaven are promised to the humblest; for ‘he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.’”

Thus, taking children as the models of his true disciples, our Lord, in very strong language, cautions all his followers against treating with neglect or contempt, either children, literally understood, or disciples of a childlike disposition. As to the former, his precept has been almost as much neglected as the command for missionary exertions; for what, until within these very few years, has been done for the education, more than for the conversion of the world? Happily, Christians of most denominations seem to be awaking from the slumber of death, and “bestirring themselves” in these important [matters]. The arguments used by our Lord are two-fold. 1. Every one that is “ignorant and out of the way,”

should be considered as a lost sheep; his salvation to be sought with as much ardour as if it were a whole flock; and if any one perish, the cause is not to be resolved into the divine will, as has been too often done; but their loss will involve a heavy responsibility on those who neglect to seek them. 2. However contemptuously the world may look on simple children, or on Christ’s poor and humble disciples, angels of high celestial rank wait on them with pleasure and delight. Yes! ye who teach the first elements of language and of religion, angels do not disdain to wait upon your humble pupils.

The next subjects treated by our Lord, are those of offences, and the duty of mutual forgiveness.

In the sermon on the mount, our Lord has anticipated some things, treated here more at large. Nothing can be farther from the temper and spirit of Christianity than revenge; and Christians, so far from being allowed to indulge it, are taught, in all cases of supposed injury, first to seek reconciliation, by every reasonable and practicable means. If, for instance, a Christian brother offend, the first step is, to procure a private audience, and reason with him calmly on the subject. The next step is, to take a common friend with us, who may mediate and remonstrate with him: and should this measure prove equally unavailing, the only remaining process is, (if the matter be of sufficient importance,) to lay it, at least, before the heads of the church, or Christian society to which he belongs; who, if they fail in recovering him to his duty, may find it necessary to exclude him from their communion, that he may bring no disgrace on their society, or on the Christian name.

Their authorial principles, and accompanied with solemn prayer, will then be ratified in heaven; and a person thus excluded, ought no more to be considered as a Christian brother, though still a neighbour, or fellow-man. This, or something very much like it, is said to have been formerly the practice of the Jews, and of the primitive Christian Church; and most denominations of Christians have adopted a similar course, so far as their respective rules of ecclesiastical discipline would allow. Here we find “the power of the keys,” as it is called, extended not only to the other apostles, but to all societies of faithful Christians; for prayer, we know, can open and shut heaven, as in the case of Elijah, ((James 5)

eh and our Lord here assures us, that when two or three are gathered together, and unite in any request, (with a proper deference to the divine will,) it shall be done for them. When a church, or society of Christians, are met together to consider the conduct of a fallen brother; when they offer their united prayers for divine illumination in the name of Christ; and form their determination under the direction of his word; then is the Saviour “in the midst of them,” and whether they bind or loose, whatever they bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; or whatever they loose or unbind, shall be in like manner ratified on high. We shall only here add, that upon this promise, Dr. Pye Smith founds an argument in favour of our Lord’s divinity; “for were he a creature only, how could he be present at various and distant places at one and the same time?”

Ver. 21—35. The parable of the unforgiving servant.— Perhaps there is no duty so much neglected among Christians as that of mutual forgiveness; nor any duty, merely moral, so strongly and repeatedly inculcated by our Lord. The general pretence is, “I am the injured party, and am ready to forgive on the offender making a proper acknowledgment of his offence;” but this is not God’s method. He is the offended party; but he does not wait for our submission, or entreaty; he sends special messengers to “beseech us to be reconciled to him.” ((2 Corinthians 5:20).) This is not Christ’s rule: he does not say, ‘If thy brother offend thee,” and is penitent, and comes to ask pardon, then forgive him, and be reconciled.

No; but go and speak privately to him, and try to regain his confidence and good will; and if he listen to thee, “thou hast gained thy brother!” thou hast won an immortal soul! But we must not rest here: we must pursue the offender with importunity, and take, if necessary, two or three more brethren, and endeavour, if possible, to convince him of his fault; and even if this fail, the whole society, or congregation, with which he stands connected, must be pressed into the service, to procure a reconciliation, before the object must be abandoned. Such is the law of our Master; but it is an inquiry well deserving our attention—Do we obey it? Peter was no doubt a good man, and much attached to his divine Master.

He was willing to forgive, and probably to forget injuries; for he was of a frank and open temper, but perhaps thought he had been trifled with by some of his brethren, whom he had repeatedly forgiven. What! says he, am I to forgive them seven times over? “No!” replies our Lord, “Say not, until seven times, but until seventy times seven!” Now let us attend to this parable of our Saviour: A certain king had an unfaithful servant, who defrauded him, of 10,000 talents. By the law and custom of nations, he was liable to be sold, with all his family, to make reparation to the state. But he was overwhelmed with misery, and implored mercy; and even promised, if time were given him, to make good the whole.

To the latter part of this promise his lord seems to have paid no attention; nor does the Almighty regard the silly promises of sinners to make reparation for their offences. When God forgives, he forgives like a king—like the king in the parable—he forgives the whole. But what did this servant? Instead of imitating the conduct of his lord, as those ignorant of the depravity of human nature might expect, he acts just the reverse. Finding a poor fellow-servant who owed him about three pounds sterling, or $13, he suddenly and violently arrests him, and casts him into prison. The other servants, struck with the flagrancy of this conduct, inform their royal master, who immediately visits upon him all his sins; and who, in earth or in heaven, can say that he acted unjustly?

But let us hear our Lord’s concluding remark, which contains the moral, “the very pith and marrow of the parable.” “They say unto him, Why did Moses then?” “So likewise shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.” Here almost every word is emphatic. We must, “every one” of us forgive his offending brother, and forgive him “from our hearts;” otherwise God will not forgive us, but cast us into the prison of hell, with the devil and his angels, who are no less ready to torment than they are to tempt. ((Matthew 25:41).)

In this parable, it has been remarked, there are three things set in opposition; namely, 1. A sovereign and his servant, or God and man.

2. The enormity of our sins set in opposition to the petty offences of our brethren against us. And, 3. The infinite liberality of providence to men, compared with their cruel conduct toward each other. “And can I, (may the Christian say,) after such a forcible appeal as this, ungenerously retain anger in my breast against an offending fellow-creature? Can I, while indulging the hope that God, my heavenly Father, has forgiven me millions of the greatest and most aggravated offences, and will not bring them into judgment, nor remember them any more for ever; can I indulge an unforgiving or revengeful temper towards my fellow-creature, or fellow-christian? God forbid! Let me not, O Lord by any subterfuge, deceive myself (herein;) may I freely and fully forgive, as thou dost; and not, while I profess to discard revenge, still retain a fretting remembrance of the injury.” — (Ward’s Reflections on the Word of God, p.

69.)

Notes on the verses

Chap. XVIII. Ver. 6. That a milestone.—This mode of punishment appears to have obtained in Syria as well as in Greece, especially in cases of parricide. That it was customary in Greece we learn from Sw., and the Scholiast on the Equites of Aristophanes. “When a person was drowned, they hung a weight about his neck.” —Bagster. Ver. 7. It must needs be that offences come.—Yes! where there is sin, there must needs be sorrow; and while men’s minds remain unhumbled, offences will continually arise. Ver. 10. Their angels do always behold the face of my Father.—The highest officers in the Oriental courts, are described as those who see the king’s face; the expression may therefore mean, angels of the higher ranks.

Compare Esther i. 14. with Revelation i. 4. But though this text undoubtedly proves the ministry of angels, it by no means proves that any persons have guardian angels to attend them individually. Ver. 12. And goeth into the mountains.—Campbell, “Will he not leave the ninety and nine upon the mountains, and go in quest of the stray?” So Vulgate and Syriac. So Doddridge. Ver. 15. Tell him his fault.—Doddridge says the Greek word signifies “to convince, as well as to admonish.” Not to rail, or to abuse, but to reason calmly, and on Christian principles. Ver. 17. The church.—A congregation of faithful men gathered together in the name of Christ. See verse 20.—As heathen man, &c.—Maimonides speaks of private admonition; then before witnesses; and if that failed, then they proclaimed an incorrigible person in the synagogue.

Ver. 22. Until seventy times seven.—See (Genesis 4:16, 39). Ver. 24. Ten thousand talents.—According to Prideaux, the Roman talent was equal to $959 90 cents; ten thousand of which would amount to $9,599,000. If the Jewish talent of silver be designed, which is estimated by the same learned writer at $1,999 80, this sum amounts to $19,998,000; but if the gold talent is meant, which is equal to $31,996 80, then the amount is $319,963,000. [The value of ten thousand silver talents, according to the table adopted in this book, is $15,188,300, and of the like number of gold talents, $242,474,000.] This immense sum represents our boundless obligations to God, and our utter incapacity, as sinners infinitely indebted to

Divine Justice, of paying one mite out of the talent. Ver. 25. His lord commanded him to be sold, &c.—This was the custom, not only among the Jews, but also among the heathen; in Asia, at Athens, and at Rome. Orient. Cust. No. 1194. Ver. 23. A hundred pence—Or, in our money, $13 87—[Which was not one six hundred thousandth part of the amount of the 10,000 talents, even calculating them as Roman talents.] —Bagster. Took.—Literally, “seized.” Ver. 34. The tormentors.—Properly, those who examined prisoners by torture, which office was often assigned to jailers. It was also common to load such prisoners with chains of iron, and heavy yokes of wood, and to visit them with frequent scourging; the object of their imprisonment was, the infliction of misery, which, from

the general character of jailers was often carried beyond the rigour of the law. Ver. 35. So likewise, &c.—An unforgiving, revengeful spirit, is an infallible evidence of an impenitent, graceless heart. If men do not from their heart forgive those trespassing against them, God will deal with them with that unmixed justice which the King in the parable exercised towards his merciless servant. “With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you again,” is a perfect definition of exact justice. We should be extremely cautious in forming theological arguments on the circumstances of a parable. By disregarding this simple caution, you may form opinions subversive of the doctrines and use of the Bible.

For example, in the parable of the unjust steward, you may, by forming arguments on the circumstances of the parable, make the Lord commend unrighteousness. See (Luke 16:8).